Spelling bound: Contestants in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee process their dreams and self-doubts through song in this quirky, Tony Award-winning musical created by William Finn and Rachel Sheinkin. The cast gives words new meaning as students, teachers, and townspeople belt out numbers such as “The Spelling Rules,” “My Unfortunate Erection/Distraction (Chip’s Lament),” […]
Backstage pass: Musically connected transformations are the theme at Hoot & Holler’s Soundtrack of My Life, an evening of storytelling that draws from personal experiences involving songs, concerts, and listening. Find out what happened at an after-hours hotel room party involving The Replacements and way too much tequila; hear how a banjo literally saved one […]
By Bonnie Price Lofton Now that China has closed the door to most of our garbage, recycling plants around the country are closing, or limiting what they’ll accept, and Charlottesville is no different. Starting July 1, the McIntire Recycling Center will no longer take Nos. 3-7 plastics, things like yogurt containers, plastic cups, and bottle […]
Plogging and other Earth Day events A combination of jogging while picking up trash—who wouldn’t want to go plogging? Easter Sunday, from 1 to 5pm, is your chance. “Instead of hunting for Easter eggs, we’re hunting for litter,” says organizer and self-proclaimed tree-hugger Brady Earnhart. He’s never been plogging, but was immediately intrigued when he […]
Behind the smile: Equally Divine: The Real Story of the Mona Lisa is a true-crime musical that explores gender identity and the artistic genius of Leonardo da Vinci. The story is told through one actor, accompanied by music from the Italian Renaissance provided by the Core Ensemble, and follows the origin of the famous image, […]
Hand to mouth: In a show built around bad behavior and puppets, Jeff Dunham dishes out political and cultural commentary through multiple characters. As a ventriloquist, Dunham has carved out a unique space in comedy, and his act is hugely popular—he’s the third-highest-paid comedian in the U.S., behind Jerry Seinfeld and Chris Rock. Peanut, Walter, […]
Hindsight is 1616: It’s a battle to save the legacy of William Shakespeare when the Bard’s mates go on a mad scramble to gather up his disparate writings in Lauren Gunderson’s The Book of Will. At the time of his death in 1616, Shakespeare was well-off and popular, but had his friends John Heminges and […]
Red rocks: The launch of the outdoor music season finds Red & The Romantics playing original tunes in the fresh air at Fridays After Five. Erik “Red” Knierim leads his band through joyful grooves that draw from Americana, blues, roots, and gospel. Friday 4/12. Free, 5:30pm. Sprint Pavilion, 700 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 245-4910.
C-VILLE wins journo awards The Virginia Press Association held its annual conference and contest to celebrate the best work of newspapers across Virginia, from tiny weeklies to metropolitan papers. C-VILLE Weekly took home five awards at this year’s April 6 event in Norfolk. And we congratulate our award-winning colleagues at The Daily Progress, Charlottesville Tomorrow, […]
By Charlie Sallwasser It’s 1am on Tuesday, and Virginia basketball has just won the national championship. I can’t believe it. As a 10-year-old, I used to pretend to be Virginia forward Cornel Parker when I was shooting hoops in my driveway, lining up the game-winner in the national championship game. I made countless elbow threes […]